How to recognize a Hereke
Hereke rugs use the symmetric knot at extraordinary density: 400 to 1,000 per square inch in wool, and up to 3,000 in the finest silk. Designs draw on Persian and Ottoman court traditions: medallions, prayer niches, vase and garden designs, often with a woven "Hereke" signature in the border. Silk Herekes are usually small, from mats to 4×6; wool Herekes with silk highlights reach room size. There are many imitations from China and elsewhere, some very good; we identify at inspection.
On Long Island, Herekes are collector pieces from Great Neck, Kings Point, Roslyn, Old Westbury, Lloyd Harbor and Southampton, often bought in Turkey.
- Origin
- Hereke, near Istanbul, Turkey
- Knot
- Symmetric; 400–3,000 kpsi
- Pile
- Silk, or fine wool with silk
- Foundation
- Silk or cotton
- Dyes
- Brilliant; silk dyes move when warm
- Our method
- Fiber test → dye test → gentle dusting → flat hand wash (silk) or gentle cool immersion (wool) → hand rinse → blot or brief spin → cool flat dry → hand finishing
